Finding Love in Gray Hearts
by Kway100
Summary: Claire died, at least that's what the Goddess said. In exchange for reviving her, she must do the woman's bidding. Starting out on a fresh, strange adventure, Claire doesn't want to revisit the past, or repeat it. However, after being saved by the blacksmith, Gray, she finds it hard to not grow closer to the man and his harsh attitude. Although, everything fights to keep them apart


**Finding Love in Gray Hearts**

**Chapter One**

**by Kway100**

**"All the Little Things" has been cancelled, but this new fanfic is replacing it because the last story had no real 'story'. This one is sure to be better, and romance/fluff filled as well. For AtLT's readers, what wwould you like to see in this fanfic that was not in the last?**

I opened my eyes and blinked, as the warm, fall colors came into focus. A piercing note shrieked in my head as feeling seeped back into my body. The tingling sensation traveled up my arms and burned in my spine; I could move again, but not without a twinge of pain. Slowly, the chirping of birds and rustle of leaves beat its way to my eardrums. The fogginess that clouded my thoughts cleared.

I was alive.

Carefully pushing myself upright, I leaned on weak elbows and looked around. Tall oaks and pines surrounded the clearing, their evergreen needles and autumn-painted leaves splashed color on the otherwise dull, yellowed grass. A small lake reflected the evening sky and wispy clouds, rippled slightly by a cool breeze.

I curled together and shivered; my wet clothes clung tight and chilled me to the core. I ran my hands through my hair to wring the lake water, remove the slimy foliage. I pulled off drenched shoes and socks, preferring to be barefoot than having wet, wrinkled feet. I took a deep breath, my lungs catching fire with each hungry drag of oxygen. Once hammering, my heart returned to normal tempo and drummed strongly, loudly- with life.

I gathered strength and stood, dizziness washing over me like the icy, green water. I closed my eyes and waited for the sickness to pass; opened them to glassy, purple irises. Tumbling backwards, I fell away from the goddess-like woman.

Her only movement was the following of her eyes.

I studied the woman frantically: her figure was slim, yet curvaceous, and almost transparent, ghastly blue hair dripped down her pale shoulders and flowed in the air like a river, and a rich, green tunic draped from one shoulder, across one breast, wrapped around her torso, and dangled delicately at her calf. A pendent hung on her head, its blue gem bright against her ivory forehead. Full, purple lips smiled; her haunting stare stilled.

I looked with envy at the woman, but soon replaced it with fear. She emanated power, the air was tinged with its electricity. She floated close, a step from me.

I didn't bother to call out, or even speak.

She reached a sinewy arm and brushed long, thin fingers against my forehead; my world went black.

Surrounded by the murky water, I fell deeper into the pool, reaching for the surface but having no strength to move towards it. My blonde tresses flowed freely like tentacles, yet all else remained motionless. Golden light beamed from above, casting brilliant colors at the water's top, while the depths below loomed purple and dark blue.

As I took my final glance, I watched my last breath's bubbles swim to safety. A man-like shadow bent over the lake. I blinked; it was gone. Unable to withstand it any longer, I inhaled the salty, grimy liquid, felt the numbness creep into my limbs, and lost consciousness.

_Beep. _

_ Beep._

I awoke to a steady, repetitive note and plain, white walls reeking of doctor. A warm, blue blanket was tucked motherly around me. The room was bare. However, one half was hidden from my view by a gray curtain. My side had only a window, closed off by the same dull, gray curtains.

Aside from a bad headache and some dizziness, I didn't see a reason I should be in a hospital- if that was in fact where I was. I fidgeted and rolled on my side, working to remember the dream; I was drowning, I think.

The crisp _'tap' _of shoes echoed from outside and the divider swept back. "Ah, you're awake," a man smiled softly. He brushed wavy, black hair out of his hazel eyes," How do you feel?"

"Fine," I sputtered as I took in the doctor's tall form; he was a very handsome man with defined features, plump, teasing lips, and alluring gaze.

"Good, good," he sat on my cot's corner to feel my forehead, than grabbed my clammy hand and searched for the pulse hiding in my wrist. I was sure it had significantly increased with his presence.

"Doctor," a short nurse gritted tensely," Mayor Thomas needs a minute of your time." She glared at me, than possessively at the man.

"Okay, Elli," he dropped my hand,"I'll be right back, miss." He dipped his head and left.

"Who are you anyway?" Elli asked sharply," No one in Mineral Town has ever seen you, and you had no identification in your things."

"My name's Claire and I'm not really from around here, so.." I trailed off.

"Hmmph," she scribbled on a rectangular clipboard messed with papers," Age?"

"Twenty."

"Height?"

"Five foot-two."

"Weight?"

"..."

"I'll just write one-hundred-and-fifty," she smirked.

"It's one-hundred-and-twenty-one, to be exact," I looked pointedly.

"Sure it is," she rolled her eyes.

"What is your problem," I cried, sitting up on the squeaky mattress.

She sat the documents on the sheets," You listen here! Doctor Trent is mine, so don't even try to play cute, little, innocent, sick girl. He _is_ _mine_. All kinds of women come into this clinic and throw themselves at him, but over my dead body will any of them have him!"

"I did-"

"He thinks you're ugly anyway. I heard him talking last night when Gray brought you. And he hates blondes! Even if you were a brunette like me, you're just not his type." She chewed her small, pink bottom lip nervously, clearly agitated.

"Listen, crazy, I don't want your man! I don't want anybody! I just want to know where I am, and how I got here." I sighed loudly.

"I saw you looking at him!"

"Yeah, so what?! He is a good-looking guy, doesn't mean I'm going to make a play for him; I don't even know the man! And not in a million years would I make an enemy with a nutso like you for a guy."

"You..really mean that?" she paused.

"Oh, yes. Yes I do."

"Well.. thanks." The start of a smile formed.

"It wasn't exactly a compliment." I frowned.

She thought, and rustled a petite hand through shaggy hair," I suppose I am a bit overbearing."

'Flat-out insane,' I thought. "Where am I?" I questioned, exasperated.

"In a small town circled by the Menova Mountains. We're mostly a mining site, but we do a lot of fishing too... The closest town is about 3 hours south, Forget-Me-Not Valley, and the nearest city is a two-day drive. Now, I should ask how _you_ got here?"

"I just walked. A long time," I smiled," But, how did I get _here,_ exactly? At the hospital."

"One of the townspeople found you by the lake passed out and soaked to the bone. You looked kinda blue when you got here; you were so cold. I thought you were a corpse, to be honest." She stacked her papers and stood.

"Do you know who brought me? I'd like to thank them."

"Oh," she laughed over her shoulder," You might not want to. Gray can be, well, a jerk." She shrugged," At least that's how I think of him. But, he works at the blacksmith's if you want to see for yourself."

I nodded and lay back down. I was starting to feel light-headed.

"I'm going to start a file on you, since I assume you'll be staying with us awhile." She eyed me cautiously, "Dr. Trent will be in shortly to check up on you. No funny business, remember."

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled on my side and closed my eyes sleepily. I fought to remember that dream.

That dream that seemed so real.

"You're doing even worse than usual, boy. I think you should just go home," Grandpa muttered behind me.

"I'm fine," I stifled a yawn. I placed the gold under the ruby gem and joined them together- a bit crooked. The brooch wasn't perfect, but only gramps would complain about it.

"Now, look what ya did again! Ruined two perfectly good pieces!" He grunted," Just let me handle the rest of the orders today. Work the desk, or clean, or something.."

Holding back a response, I picked up a broom and swept the dusty floor.

"So have you heard how that girl's doing?" he asked over the roar of fire and clanging metal.

"Nope."

"Maybe we should go check on her."

"We have too much to do here. Besides, what good would it do; I ain't a doctor," I rolled my eyes. The man always insisted that work comes first, there's always work to do, and no matter what, we were going to be forced to stay in this human oven.

"Never mind," he grumbled.

The shop's floor was disgustingly dirty; seems that if I didn't do it, it wouldn't get done by my superior. Agitated by the chore, I rested at the desk and shuffled through the papers. The blacksmith's wasn't doing so well, and it hadn't for awhile. That's why Gramps went as far as making women's jewelry, in addition to tools and appliances. The dainty, lady-things were neither of our tastes, and it was a fight over who had to make the appalling items, but it put money in our pockets at least.

"When are you going out with Mary again?"

"I don't know," I mumbled.

"She's okay, I guess," he nodded," A bit boring, but you take what you can get, right?"

I grunted and tried to organize the chaos that was the front desk.

"Do you think she's pretty?"

I looked awkwardly at the old man and shrugged.

"Yeah, me either," he placed a brilliant pair of sapphire earrings in a jade casing.

I sighed and shook my head, annoyed.

"But, everyone expects you two to marry, so-"

"I don't have to do anything," I dropped through gritted teeth," That's what I hate so much about this place. I don't need to be told what or what not to do. I'm just a bit past being a child," I spit a bit sarcastically.

"No need to be grouchy," the man scowled, and prepared more metal. "No one said you had to do anything. I just know that girl has quite the thing for-"

"Just.. stop," I glared, trying to keep my temper," I think making all that jewelry is turning you into a gossipy, nosy woman."

"Can't even ask about my grandson's love life, like a good grandpa," he threw his hands dramatically in the air," I just do everything wrong aaaalllllll the time. Poor me." He pretended to shed a tear," I better stop, people might walk in and confuse me with you."

"It's past seven, I'm leaving."

"Eh, good riddance," he waved me out the door.


End file.
